Urban Regimes, Sports Stadiums, and the Politics of Economic Development Agendas in Chicago

Abstract

Sports issues have increasingly become prominent items on the urban policy agenda. Most demands for sports‐related policies have been woven into the general fabric of economic development in the community. in this article, the authors examine the issues surrounding sports stadium development in Chicago from 1985–90. An urban regime framework, based on the notion of governing coalitions, is used to analyze the incorporation of stadiums into Chicago's policy agenda during these years. The article is instructive of the way in which progressive city administrations have used the regime to mediate corporate demands for the often intangible benefits of sports.